British Whig (Kingston, ON), 13 Aug 1897

p.2

MARINE INTELLIGENCE.

The tug Thomson, with three light barges, arrived this morning from Montreal.

It is expected that as soon as locking is resumed at the Welland canal there will be a blockade of grain laden boats at this port.

The blockade at the Prescott elevator continues. Grain laden boats are tied up at every convenient point along the harbor.

The schooner Porter, after discharging a cargo of wheat at the K. & M. F. Co.'s elevators, Portsmouth, cleared last evening for Toledo.

The latest report from the Welland canal conveys the intelligence that repairs will be made to lock six by Saturday morning, and that about noon locking will be resumed.

Welland Canal Port.

Port Colborne, Aug. 12th - Passed down - steamer Pueblo, Toledo to Prescott, corn; Ionia, Toledo to Ogdensburg, wheat.

Port Dalhousie, Aug. 12th - Work has been going on steadily all day and the level is now being filled and the gates will be ready to be shipped to their places tonight late or tomorrow morning, and if everything works all right, locking should be resumed Saturday noon. The fleet here is getting somewhat larger daily, there being some fourteen lockages at present.

p.6 Snips - Owing to the heavy sea rolling today the steamer Pierrepont was compelled to make her afternoon trip to Cape Vincent around the foot of Wolfe Island.

The Philadelphia Ashore.

The tug Philadelphia, from Sault Ste. Marie, having in tow two barges laden with pulpwood, went ashore near Nigger Island, about three miles this side of Trenton, last night. Capt. Towers, late of the R. & O. navigation company, was in command. He came to the city this forenoon, engaged the tug Petrel and went to the assistance of the Philadelphia.

THE PUBLIC WORKS VISIT.

Hon. J. Israel Tarte, minister of public works, pays visit to Kingston;

....The party then drove to the government dry-dock. Mr. Tarte gave instructions that the ground should be put in better order, as had been requested by the superintendent. He highly approved of the condition of the machinery. Then he conferred at length with the delegation as to the rates current on the dock and, while up to the present time doubtful whether it could be made self-maintaining under a lower tariff, acceded to the strong petitions already presented him and the requests today made to lower the rates to the tariff adopted for a portion of 1895. Then the reduction of rates had not the effect of increasing the number of vessels using the dock but only of decreasing the receipts from $6,000 to about $3,000, but the delegation represented that the year had been an unusually fortunate one for vessels, and the dock was not in the ordinary frequent requisition. They felt certain that another test of reduced rates, bringing the charges nearer to those imposed by private dock owners would be more successful and meet the almost unanimous recommendation of mariners and citizens. Mr. Tarte agreed the trial should begin at once, and on Monday next the reduced rates current in 1895 will be open to the public. It is now in order for the board of trade and city council to make the best use of this generous action of the government in meeting their wishes.

Capt. Gaskin tendered the use of the steamer Thomson..... made an inspection of the harbor as a preliminary to the dredging authorized by vote of parliament. Hitherto the department had expended its money in removing stones from the shoals by a slow process, so slow that Mr. Tarte on assuming office promptly ordered the boats into retreat. Now the board of trade and mariners ask, first, that the Myles' shoal, a small pointed rock, be removed, involving a small cost, and, secondly, that the middle channel down the harbor shall be dredged out so that the large upper lake deeply laden boats will not strike, as they did three times last week. It is proposed not to work further at the Point Frederick or Carruthers shoals. Mr. Tarte could not promise as prompt action in this case, as no government dredge is available. He has received a vote of parliament of $60,000 for dredges, and one is being constructed at Sorel for use in Ontario. This dredge when finished will probably be ordered to Kingston, as he expressed himself thoroughly in accord with the wishes of the marine community to have our waterways made thoroughly safe and navigable, while Kingston harbor is an important link in the chain of communication.